The death toll in the Gaza Strip continues to climb amid relentless Israeli airstrikes. In the past 24 hours alone, at least 146 Palestinians have been killed and 459 injured, according to Gaza health authorities.
Marwan al-Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, described the situation as dire: “We have received 58 bodies since midnight. Many people remain trapped under rubble. The hospital is overwhelmed.”
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urgently called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. “We need a permanent ceasefire now. I am gravely concerned by Israel’s plans to escalate its military operations further,” he stated.
The Red Crescent has also appealed to Israel to open border crossings to allow desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, describing the current conditions as “hungry and painful” for the population.
The ongoing violence has taken center stage at the Arab League’s 34th annual summit, which began today in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the attacks as an “atrocity never seen in history” and pledged $20 million toward the Arab fund for Gaza’s reconstruction.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 53,272 Palestinians have been killed and over 120,673 injured since the start of Israel’s offensive. The Gaza government media office, however, estimates the actual death toll exceeds 61,700, as many victims remain buried under rubble.
(Source: Al Jazeera)
